Can Blanco be the next HTC?

[TheEnoculator]

It's no secret that Blanco wants to be the next HTC. Blanco can pose threats in all aspects in the WT, and the fact that they are so desperate for a sponsor should take their competitive spirits up a notch. But the question is: can they deliver the results necessary to be a Cinderella team like HTC, assuming they will exist beyond this season?

 

[Parker]

HTC's success was based on having lots of sprinters and time triallists.

I don't see much of those at Blanco.

I think they'll do well though - better than an average Rabo season.

 

[Afrank]

No, there's never going to be another HTC. And if we do happen to see another HTC appear it's not going to be Blanco. One of the main things they're missing is a big name sprinter to get them a lot of wins.

 

[PCutter]

I see no evidence of your original premise that Blanco want to be HTC. They simply are another team that's lost a sponsor and riding with a 'for rent' sign on the jersey.

 

[Parker]

Another thing to note is HTC comprised riders who were being underpaid and the team was personally proped up by a rich man.

Rabo, on the other hand, have been overpaying Dutch talents.

Do the figures add up?

I hope so. But they need a sponsor willing to commit more than HTC or Columbua ever did.

 

[Tigerion]

HTC had a sprint train that we will never see the likes of again. They were far from dominant in all aspects of WT, they were a pure sprinters team. They had some TT (some of who won tt based tour like beijing) but they were not competitive as a GC team.

Voted hard to tell because they won't fail because they don't have people like you listed, but because they are not focus on sprint and don't have anywhere near the firepower that HTC had

 

[theyoungest]

They will probably be the next HTC in the sense that next year they won't be around anymore

 

[ElChingon]

Why does there need to be another HTC? Blanco is pretty much the same as it was last year.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

hopefully not.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There's already a new HTC. It's called Argos-Shimano. A team based entirely around sprinters, with some useful talents who will be wasted in the leadout train, and that most races would be better without.

 

[the asian]

A Question to the Dutchies.

If RaboBlanco and Vacans both fold up at the end of the season, where do you think the Dutch riders will end up?
Will they end up at Argos or will the No of riders in the Pro Peloton shrink drastically.

 

[jens_attacks]

There's already a new HTC. It's called Argos-Shimano. A team based entirely around sprinters, with some useful talents who will be wasted in the leadout train, and that most races would be better without.

argos is like HTC but without all the wins.
even if all the riders of argos would be free to do their thing, they won't do anything special,they are not strong riders. HTC had dozens of beasts there.
really now, hate it or love it, htc was a well drilled machine,a super machine

blanco is not.
argos is not either

 

[Dutchsmurf]

They will probably be the next HTC in the sense that next year they won't be around anymore

This is the only thing they have in common indeed. Both teams with a (in Blanco's case, so far) successful season unable to find a sponsor for next season.

 

[cineteq]

No, but let's talk about Blanco anyway in the thread.
Latest news indicate they will have a hard time finding a new sponsor.

 

[will10]

argos is like HTC but without all the wins.
even if all the riders of argos would be free to do their thing, they won't do anything special,they are not strong riders. HTC had dozens of beasts there.
really now, hate it or love it, htc was a well drilled machine,a super machine

blanco is not.
argos is not either

Spot on .

 

[theyoungest]

A Question to the Dutchies.

If RaboBlanco and Vacans both fold up at the end of the season, where do you think the Dutch riders will end up?
Will they end up at Argos or will the No of riders in the Pro Peloton shrink drastically.

It depends, guys like Gesink or Boom will probably find some big team to sign for, now Slagter as well. But a lot of them won't stay in the WT, or even pro cycling.

Right now there are about 50 Dutch WT riders, that's far too much, but as of next year I think there will only be 15 or 20.

 

[the asian]

It depends, guys like Gesink or Boom will probably find some big team to sign for, now Slagter as well. But a lot of them won't stay in the WT, or even pro cycling.

Right now there are about 50 Dutch WT riders, that's far too much, but as of next year I think there will only be 15 or 20.

The youngsters will be the most to suffer.

Also, the presence of Dutch WT teams has meant that very few Dutch riders have ridden in Non Dutch teams.

De Jongh's presence at Saxo might entice a few to them.

 

[Froome19]

How can they be the new HTC without a quality sprinter to lead out?

 

[the asian]

How can they be the new HTC without a quality sprinter to lead out?

Theo Bos is probably the fastest sprinter around, but it's hard for him to last till the finale.

If he improves his endurance and with a quality lead out man like Renshaw, you never know.

 

[burning]

argos is like HTC but without all the wins.
even if all the riders of argos would be free to do their thing, they won't do anything special,they are not strong riders. HTC had dozens of beasts there.
really now, hate it or love it, htc was a well drilled machine,a super machine

blanco is not.
argos is not either

HTC had 77 victories at their first season, that's a bit ridiculous
If you merge Blanco and Argos with all of their riders, (even with 60 guys) they would probably have 40 victories

 

[Froome19]

Theo Bos is probably the fastest sprinter around, but it's hard for him to last till the finale.

If he improves his endurance and with a quality lead out man like Renshaw, you never know.

True. He and Guardini are starting to fall into the same boat for me. It would be a shame as he is a great talent.

 

[theyoungest]

True. He and Guardini are starting to fall into the same boat for me. It would be a shame as he is a great talent.

His only WT win so far was an Eneco stage which included part of the Amstel parcours, where he beat Degenkolb. He's getting better.

I've seen photos from their latest training camp, he looks really lean.

 

[GP Blanco]

The won't be the new HTC because Blanco is not a sprint team like many of you already stated. However, the quality of their victories will improve because their main riders are a year older.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Bos is not in the same boat as Guardini. Did any of you really follow last years races I wonder?

Like theyoungest said, Bos is getting better. As for climbing ability he is way above guardini (not hard). But he even won some fairly difficult races last year

 

[Dutchsmurf]

No, but let's talk about Blanco anyway in the thread.
Latest news indicate they will have a hard time finding a new sponsor.

Of course they are. If HTC with all those wins and all that exposure can't find a sponsor, then a Dutch team with the current media sure has no chance at all. If they find a new sponsor this season, it is more or less guaranteed to be one from outside the Netherlands, probably outside Europe.